By the Cover Reviewhttps://bythecoverreview.com
Books | Food | TravelSun, 08 Jul 2018 22:42:20 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8https://i2.wp.com/bythecoverreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/cropped-by_the_cover.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1By the Cover Reviewhttps://bythecoverreview.com
3232128295326This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankelhttps://bythecoverreview.com/2018/07/08/this-is-how-it-always-is/
https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/07/08/this-is-how-it-always-is/#respondSun, 08 Jul 2018 22:42:20 +0000https://bythecoverreview.com/?p=1546This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel Rating – 4.5 out of 5 This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel is a story of a family with a secret. When Claude, the youngest of the brothers expresses that he is actually she, Poppy, her parents welcome the change with open arms. […]

Rating – 4.5 out of 5

This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel is a story of a family with a secret. When Claude, the youngest of the brothers expresses that he is actually she, Poppy, her parents welcome the change with open arms. When the family makes a drastic change to keep Poppy safe from those who would harm her, her secret is born and as time goes on, takes on a life of its own.

Favorite Quotes

“For my child, for all our children, I want more options, more paths through the woods, wider ranges of normal, and unconditional love.”

– This is How it Always is, Laurie Frankel

Why I liked This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel

This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel is incredibly well written and conceived. The complex emotions shown by every character surrounding the issue of Poppy’s gender are believable and ring true. I especially liked the reactions of her parents. While the reactions were different, and at times hard, ultimately both of her parents loved and wanted the best for Poppy. This book was brilliant in explaining how there are hard situations that come up when raising a family that even the best parents will not have the best reactions to.

Laurie Frankel in the afterword explains that she herself has a child like Poppy. I thought this was important because even if Frankel was not telling her specific story, she did have a deeper understanding of what it is like to have a child who does not identify with the gender they were born with. It shown through in the work with the inner emotions that all of the characters expressed. I enjoyed how well put together the narrative is, and hope that Frankel writes more in the future.

This and all my posts may contain affiliate links! Please see full disclosure – Here – Kate <3

Do you want to receive emails about the latest book reviews? Sign up below!

]]>https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/07/08/this-is-how-it-always-is/feed/01546Acceptance by Jeff Vandermeerhttps://bythecoverreview.com/2018/07/01/acceptance-by-jeff-vandermeer/
https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/07/01/acceptance-by-jeff-vandermeer/#respondSun, 01 Jul 2018 16:22:09 +0000https://bythecoverreview.com/?p=1541Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer Rating – 5 out of 5 Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer, the last in the Southern Reach Trilogy, gives answers to some of the questions that we have been wondering. It follows what happens inside the Southern Reach after the surprise ending of Authority, as well as following other timelines that led […]

Rating – 5 out of 5

Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer, the last in the Southern Reach Trilogy, gives answers to some of the questions that we have been wondering. It follows what happens inside the Southern Reach after the surprise ending of Authority, as well as following other timelines that led up to the beginning of the mysterious phenomenon. As we get deeper into the details of what lies behind the shimmer, we learn that answers are not as clear as we would like. In fact, the only thing left, might be questions.

Why I liked Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer

To be fair, I loved these books. I couldn’t put them down, I would rant about them for days, I almost read them consecutively, which is a feat for me since I usually start a series and then slowly over a while read through it. BUT these books were awful and gave no answers and I wanted to scream by the end. Good art? Yes. Most frustrating series? YES. There were no answers, only more questions. Even the things that we did get more clarity on were not satisfying, as the bigger question of what is happening, and who is causing it is not addressed. I have read other reviews that suggest that VanderMeer was only interested in showing the horror found in the human experience of this place, so as to be more impactful, but damn is that dissatisfying to me!

Acceptance was the most graphic and horrifying of the three in the series, by far. Just when you thought everything was normal, and you were lulled into a false sense of security a character would casually mention something incredibly horrifying as if it were as normal as eating breakfast. Some of the visuals of just horrifying bodily harm will stay with me for a while. This book is not for the faint of heart, nor anyone who has issues with bodies and how gross they can be.

So, I want you all to read these books and then maybe we can all get together in a field and yell about it for a while? Cool? Good. Let me know when you’re finished.

Do you want to receive emails about the latest book reviews? Sign up below!

]]>https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/07/01/acceptance-by-jeff-vandermeer/feed/01541The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Leehttps://bythecoverreview.com/2018/06/03/the-gentlemans-guide-to-vice-and-virtue-by-mackenzi-lee/
https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/06/03/the-gentlemans-guide-to-vice-and-virtue-by-mackenzi-lee/#commentsSun, 03 Jun 2018 20:03:28 +0000https://bythecoverreview.com/?p=1515The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee Rating – 4.25 out of 5 In The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee, Henry “Monty” Montague is looking for adventure. With things being tense at home and a future of taking care of the family money not his cup of tea, […]

Rating – 4.25 out of 5

In The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee, Henry “Monty” Montague is looking for adventure. With things being tense at home and a future of taking care of the family money not his cup of tea, Monty is looking for an adventure of a lifetime. His deliverance has come in the form of his grand tour which is to be taken with his best friend and complete crush Percy. While just starting their tour things go awry and the two boys and Monty’s sister, Felicity find themselves on the run and with a question they must answer. Spanning Europe their escapade becomes one that none of them will forget.

Favorite Quotes

“What’s the use of temptations if we don’t yield to them?”

― Mackenzi Lee, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue

“We’re not courting trouble,” I say. “Flirting with it, at most.”

― Mackenzi Lee, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue

“We are not broken things, neither of us. We are cracked pottery mended with laquer and flakes of gold, whole as we are, complete unto each other. Complete and worthy and so very loved.”

― Mackenzi Lee, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue

Why I liked The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Real Talk – I did not like this book to begin with. Monty was annoying and stuck up in the beginning in a way that I did not enjoy. Most of his antics struck me as childish and self-serving. I honestly for about the first 1/4th of the book was thinking that I would have to give up and not finish if I did not see something improve. Shallow and vapid was my read on how this book was going to go, and I do not appreciate that type of literature.

Then this book became something that I totally wasn’t expecting. Monty grew on me. In fact, I now enjoy him greatly as a character, mostly because he actually grew up a bit over the course of this book. What had started as selfish thoughts about how his life was not going to his plan became genuine concern for others. He started learning from his mistakes instead of just writing them off as youthful indulgences. He began to see the consequences of his actions instead of just going through life without a care. I was impressed with his arch!

I appreciated how Lee highlighted the ways in which these characters had a very different life than we have today. Because this was not set in modern times things were different for Women, LGBTQUIA+ and people of Color in ways that made their lives more difficult. While I don’t think people of the era would have been so woke about some of these issues, for a modern audience, I think it was good that Lee addressed them in the way that she did. It brought new life to the ways that these characters interacted.

Writing my review of A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue today… I’m looking through quotes and they’re all so good. This might be the most quote able book I’ve ever reviewed! pic.twitter.com/UnyDUoUBtn

Do you want to receive emails about the latest book reviews? Sign up below!

]]>https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/06/03/the-gentlemans-guide-to-vice-and-virtue-by-mackenzi-lee/feed/11515Winter by Marissa Meyerhttps://bythecoverreview.com/2018/05/28/winter-by-marissa-meyer/
https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/05/28/winter-by-marissa-meyer/#commentsTue, 29 May 2018 00:00:12 +0000https://bythecoverreview.com/?p=1390Winter by Marissa Meyer Rating – 4.5 out of 5 The final installment of the Lunar Chronicles, Winter by Marissa Meyer, brings the conflict to a head… and to the moon! As tensions are rising with Queen Levana as she keeps Kai and most of the earth’s royalty hostage for a wedding that has been […]

Rating – 4.5 out of 5

The final installment of the Lunar Chronicles, Winter by Marissa Meyer, brings the conflict to a head… and to the moon! As tensions are rising with Queen Levana as she keeps Kai and most of the earth’s royalty hostage for a wedding that has been a long time coming. As Cinder and the crew are looking for a way to stop her from becoming empress, help comes from unexpected places. Winter, Levana’s niece, becomes an ally to the cause and together they try to undo Levana’s claim on Luna. Will they succeed an put Cinder on the throne?

Favorite Quote

“She would be brave. She would be heroic. She would make her own destiny.
― Marissa Meyer, Winter

Why I liked Winter by Marissa Meyer

The characters in this series will have a small place in my heart for a while. Honestly, the characters were one of the reasons that kept me reading this series through the four books. Captain Thorne is such a heartbreaker. Cinder so wise and scrappy. Iko is still my favorite robot. Kai has such a good sense of humor. In fact all of them do. I laughed out loud at so many points while reading these books. That in and of itself is incredibly valuable.

I could iterate again about how well Meyer folds the fairy tales elements into the plot but after 3 other books that seems obvious. What I will say about this books was that it gave a fitting ending to this saga. While I felt that it was a little bit longer that I would like, the book was good. It allowed for closure of the many different plot lines. There were many different stories being told in one here, like an ensemble cast that had many main characters. I appreciated how Meyer gave time to all of them.

The one thing I would have liked to see more of was details on the conspiracies that Levana was perpetrating. Some of what she was doing was truly horrific but I didn’t feel that the books really sat with that. Where this book did excel was showing the sacrifice that the characters personally made. Some of these scenes (no spoilers!) pulled at the heartstrings, especially in Winter. I was moved to tears at places because I cared for the crew. Like old friends that I must part with, I will miss these characters now that I have read all of these books.

Also, send me all of the fan art – I’m loving see all of these characters drawn!

This and all my posts may contain affiliate links! Please see full disclosure – Here – Kate <3

Do you want to receive emails about the latest book reviews? Sign up below!

]]>https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/05/28/winter-by-marissa-meyer/feed/11390Authority by Jeff Vandermeerhttps://bythecoverreview.com/2018/05/17/authority-by-jeff-vandermeer/
https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/05/17/authority-by-jeff-vandermeer/#respondFri, 18 May 2018 02:49:01 +0000https://bythecoverreview.com/?p=1374Authority by Jeff Vandermeer Rating – 4.33 out of 5 Authority by Jeff Vandermeer is the follow up to Annihilation, starting in the Southern Reach just after the 12th expedition has failed. While the Southern Reach is still reeling, John Rodriguez, a.k.a. Control takes the director position to try to put the organization to rights. […]

Rating – 4.33 out of 5

Authority by Jeff Vandermeer is the follow up to Annihilation, starting in the Southern Reach just after the 12th expedition has failed. While the Southern Reach is still reeling, John Rodriguez, a.k.a. Control takes the director position to try to put the organization to rights. Over the course of a week, Control exposes some of the Southern Reach’s most dangerous secrets and comes to realize just how far out of human understanding the Shimmer has become.

Favorite Quote

“It’s not superstition,” she said. They all turned to her, swiveling on their stools. “It is superstition,” she admitted. “But it might be true.”
― Jeff Vandermeer, Authority

Why I liked Authority by Jeff Vandermeer

This novel is almost as unnerving as the first in the Southern Reach trilogy. I still think some of what is going on inside the shimmer is more frightening than what is going on with the people that are studying it. Authority, though, has the leg up when it comes to traditional horror. There are more jump scares and more connection to reality in a way that makes this book something that would probably be scarier to watch on screen than Annihilation. There were also more obvious psychological manipulations in this novel than the last. Sub-plots about Control’s family issues and manipulation via hypnosis by his handler, “The Voice”, add a layer of confusion in Control’s actions. Is he doing something because he thought it was a good idea or was it someone else manipulating him?

The one thing that I did not like about this book was that it did not give ANY answers to what was going on in the shimmer. I suspected that might be the case, but it is annoying to be left with more questions. Because this book is centered around the human’s involved with the Southern Reach, it shows how malleable the human mind is to outside manipulation. The decline of the people involved shows the horror of the Southern Reach but does not provide the answers I crave. The one thing that I did appreciate about this book was the conversations with the Biologist. While it was obvious that she did not have the answers that Control wanted she at the very least was willing to discuss some of her experiences. If anyone in the novel can give answers to what is going on it is her.

I’m starting Acceptance this week I cannot wait to see how this Trilogy ENDS!!

This and all my posts may contain affiliate links! Please see full disclosure – Here – Kate <3

Do you want to receive emails about the latest book reviews? Sign up below!

]]>https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/05/17/authority-by-jeff-vandermeer/feed/01374Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semplehttps://bythecoverreview.com/2018/05/06/whered-you-go-bernadette/
https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/05/06/whered-you-go-bernadette/#respondMon, 07 May 2018 03:16:20 +0000https://bythecoverreview.com/?p=1323Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple Rating – 4.67 out of 5 In Where’d You Go, Bernadette, when Bernadette goes missing, her family expects the worst. After disappearing during an emotionally charged moment, Bernadette’s whereabouts remain a mystery. As the events leading up to her disappearance unfold Bee, her daughter, tries to make sense […]

Rating – 4.67 out of 5

In Where’d You Go, Bernadette, when Bernadette goes missing, her family expects the worst. After disappearing during an emotionally charged moment, Bernadette’s whereabouts remain a mystery. As the events leading up to her disappearance unfold Bee, her daughter, tries to make sense of what has happened, as well as where her mother could have gone.

Favorite Quote

“That’s right,’ she told the girls. ‘You are bored. And I’m going to let you in on a little secret about life. You think it’s boring now? Well, it only gets more boring. The sooner you learn it’s on you to make life interesting, the better off you’ll be.”

― Maria Semple, Where’d You Go, Bernadette

Why I liked Where’d You Go, Bernadetteby Maria Semple

I read Where’d You Go, Bernadette, for the first time a few years ago. The story immediately caught and held my attention just because of the absurdity of it all. There was so much drama baked into what are pretty low-stake situations that I could not stop without knowing how petty the adults around Bernadette would get. By the time that I got to the point in the story where Bernadette disappears, I felt a kinship with her. Even though I knew that she would not run away for a reason so petty, I too understood just how one could go a little crazy from the pressure.

There are some deeper truths in Where’d You Go, Bernadette that made this story truly something to behold. I don’t often think about what it would be like to be an artist that does not create, but that thought is a worth wile one, even for non-artists. I am a writer, and creator, and it is important for me to be creating. I’m not happy unless I can be outputting my thoughts into the world, even if no one sees them. The validation of those feelings but also a glimpse into a future where I do not get to output creatively are present in this book. Because of this thread, I find Where’d You Go, Bernadette to be one of Semple’s best novels. She hit on a deeper truth about what it means to be human that I don’t often see explored.

Do you want to receive emails about the latest book reviews? Sign up below!

]]>https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/05/06/whered-you-go-bernadette/feed/01323Shrill by Lindy Westhttps://bythecoverreview.com/2018/04/15/shrill-by-lindy-west/
https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/04/15/shrill-by-lindy-west/#respondMon, 16 Apr 2018 04:10:29 +0000https://bythecoverreview.com/?p=1350Shrill by Lindy West Rating – 4 out of 5 In Shrill by Lindy West, has been a writer all of her adult life. She started her career writing about popular media, but as time went on shifted focus to feminist and body positivity issues. This was not just out of interest, but also out […]

Rating – 4 out of 5

In Shrill by Lindy West, has been a writer all of her adult life. She started her career writing about popular media, but as time went on shifted focus to feminist and body positivity issues. This was not just out of interest, but also out of a sense that these issues were not giving the space and coverage that they needed. This exploration of her childhood, life and career to date is funny, insightful and shrill.

Favorite Quote

“This is the only advice I can offer. Each time something like this happens, take a breath and ask yourself, honestly: Am I dead? Did I die? Is the world different? Has my soul splintered into a thousand shards and scattered to the winds? I think you’ll find, in nearly every case, that you are fine. Life rolls on. No one cares. Very few things—apart from death and crime—have real, irreversible stakes, and when something with real stakes happens, humiliation is the least of your worries.”

– Shrill, Lindy West

Why I liked Shrill by Lindy West

I read Shrill by Lindy West for a book club that I recently joined. I had heard Lindy speak on a Podcast, Dinner Party Download (RIP!) a few months before this book came up for a book club. She was engaging and larger than life on this podcast, so I wanted to know more about her and her work. Then, of course I procrastinated until the last moment and the rest is documented in twitter history!

Thankfully, I was not the only person who hadn’t finished it by the time we sat down to discuss it. I loved talking about a book that focused on women’s issues with other young women. We were all about to bring out own perspectives to the table and discuss how this book made us feel. I love being able to share these ideas in a female space so that I can better understand the world I live in, both male and female.

That being said, there were parts that were hard for me to read. This was not because they ideas are bad or I disagreed with West, but rather there are a few things about being in a female body is this world that are hard. Discussions on our rights to safety online, to our bodies and our rights around protecting ourselves from sexual assault are hard topics. West wrote very candidly about many of these topics in a way that I liked, even when it was something hard. I can’t say that I agreed with her 100% about some of these issues, but I definitely agreed with the way that she expressed herself and how she brought some of these issues to light. I cannot wait to read more of her work in the future.

This and all my posts may contain affiliate links! Please see full disclosure – Here – Kate <3

Do you want to receive emails about the latest book reviews? Sign up below!

]]>https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/04/15/shrill-by-lindy-west/feed/01350The Cruel Prince by Holly Blackhttps://bythecoverreview.com/2018/04/02/the-cruel-prince-by-holly-black/
https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/04/02/the-cruel-prince-by-holly-black/#respondTue, 03 Apr 2018 03:45:20 +0000https://bythecoverreview.com/?p=1322The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Rating – 4.67 out of 5 In The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, Jude and her sisters do not belong in Faerie. Abducted as small children, they have grown up as fish out of water, trying to fit in where they don’t. As a budding adult, Jude is looking […]

Rating – 4.67 out of 5

In The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, Jude and her sisters do not belong in Faerie. Abducted as small children, they have grown up as fish out of water, trying to fit in where they don’t. As a budding adult, Jude is looking for an official place in the court, her options are as either a warrior for or a spouse of the faerie lords and ladies. While navigating this puzzle danger and upset loom as the High King of Faerie decides upon his heir out of his children.

Favorite Quote

“What could I become if I stopped worrying about death, about pain, about anything? If I stopped trying to belong?Instead of being afraid, I could become something to fear.”

– The Cruel Prince, Holly Black

Why I liked The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

I attended a signing of Holly Black for this novel and honestly fell in love. She read part of the prologue and answered many questions from many attendees much more familiar with her work than I am. Black reminded me of my best friend in many ways. Not only reminding me of an actual person but also just being understanding and empathetic to everyone in explaining her story. Listening to her about not only speak on The Cruel Prince but also her canonized universe around Faerie, was inspiring. I left knowing that I would not only devour this book, but I should seek out her other novels as well.

Reading the novel, I was impressed with how Black navigated the complexity around someone who grows up somewhere where they do not belong. I loved how Jude and her sisters often had different opinions of what they should do to fit in the culture, because of their unique perspectives. I enjoyed reading Jude’s journey from pawn to major player as she plays the game of the faerie court. With some of the other books I have covered (such as the books from Sarah J. Maas like A Court of Mist and Fury)the faerie aesthetic is softer, since they are YA novels. The Cruel Prince, while also about a person in the YA age range, had an aesthetic that is a little bit harder. The stakes felt higher and the cruelty is more intense. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but could see how it could be upsetting to a younger audience. Overall, this was a particularly enjoyable faerie novel with complex, impressive themes.

This and all my posts may contain affiliate links! Please see full disclosure – Here – Kate <3

Do you want to receive emails about the latest book reviews? Sign up below!

]]>https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/04/02/the-cruel-prince-by-holly-black/feed/01322Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Nghttps://bythecoverreview.com/2018/03/11/everything-i-never-told-you/
https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/03/11/everything-i-never-told-you/#respondMon, 12 Mar 2018 03:38:10 +0000https://bythecoverreview.com/?p=1224Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng Rating – 4.67 out of 5 Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng starts one unassuming day in 1970s where Lydia Lee does not show up to breakfast. As time goes on it becomes obvious that something horrible has happened to her. As her family deals […]

Rating – 4.67 out of 5

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng starts one unassuming day in 1970s where Lydia Lee does not show up to breakfast. As time goes on it becomes obvious that something horrible has happened to her. As her family deals with the news of her passing, going back through their past is the only way to understand her present. Exploring many different aspects of their family life it shows a vignette of a dysfunctional family in a time of crisis.

Favorite Quote

“Before that she hadn’t realized how fragile happiness was how if you were carless,

you could knock it over and shatter it”

-Celeste Ng, Everything I Never Told You

Why I liked Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

This book was emotionally heavy. I cannot imagine what it is like to lose a daughter and sister because it’s the unimaginable. The loss of a family member leaves such an indelible mark that cannot be ignored. This book does a great job of showing how a family system is dependent upon each of its individual members. Losing one of these members, makes the whole dynamic fall apart. The depth that the novel goes into around a dysfunctional family is unblinking and masterful. I was amazed by Ng’s ability to craft a beautiful narrative around a broken family.

Otherness in America was at the forefront of this novel. The family was very much shaped at points by the way that everyone reacted to them. The marriage of Marilyn and James was started with the realization of how Marilyn’s mother wanted something different for her. Their children defined by their otherness in their schools. The impact that it had, that even the members of the family could not explain or talk about, was true to life. While these issues are different now than they were a generation ago, mixed race is still an complex issue. I appreciated how Ng dealt with these issues with care and truthfulness.

This and all my posts may contain affiliate links! Please see full disclosure – Here – Kate <3

Do you want to receive emails about the latest book reviews? Sign up below!

]]>https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/03/11/everything-i-never-told-you/feed/01224Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeerhttps://bythecoverreview.com/2018/03/04/annihilation-jeff-vandermeer/
https://bythecoverreview.com/2018/03/04/annihilation-jeff-vandermeer/#respondMon, 05 Mar 2018 03:27:10 +0000https://bythecoverreview.com/?p=1212Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer Rating – 4.33 out of 5 Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer reads like a dream. The novel centers around the Biologist, a woman who, as a part of an expedition into the Southern Reach, travels into one of the most bizarre biomes with the hopes of discovering it’s secrets. As the story unfolds […]

Rating – 4.33 out of 5

Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer reads like a dream. The novel centers around the Biologist, a woman who, as a part of an expedition into the Southern Reach, travels into one of the most bizarre biomes with the hopes of discovering it’s secrets. As the story unfolds it becomes obvious that there is more going on in the Southern Reach that meets the eye, mysteries more personal than others. The biologist and her team face frightening monsters, and things that go bump in the night as well as their own personal demons. Questioning the nature of life on this earth itself, this novel is not for the faint of heart.

Favorite Quote

“Silence creates its own violence.”
-Jeff Vandermeer, Annihilation

Why I liked Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

This book is unlike most everything that I have read. It is not a long book, but it took me several sittings to get through. There was a sense of existential dread that permeated throughout the story that is hard to quantify but is undeniably present. I had a hard time reading this in the dark or alone. While there were parts that were horrifying the majority of the novel was not. Yet, it still left me with a general sense of unease, even when what was being described was mundane or general field study.

The deeper concepts explored about connection to the outside social world and the nature of our work were fascinating. The passages about how the biologist viewed her husband and their connection where the ones that stuck with me the most. The detail that she goes into about how she is so wrapped up in her own little world that she lost sight of herself and her husband. The amount of sadness that accompanied that realization was one of the biggest horrors of the book. The emotional fall out from the book was large for me. I’m going to think about this much more as time goes on, I can feel it.

P.S. I’m probably not going to be able to watch the movie Annihilation until it comes to the small screen…. I legit have an eversion to horror and that is what it’s being billed as… if any of you have seen it and think I might be able to handle it anyway, LET ME KNOW!

This and all my posts may contain affiliate links! Please see full disclosure – Here – Kate <3